The Ghost Zone Gazette
by turbomagnus
Summary: A collection of my Danny Phantom shorts, drabbles and snippets. Characters, situations and pairings may vary, but Danny/Ember will likely feature prominently.
1. Payoff

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 7 February.

Would have had this up earlier, but had to play driver for two doctors appointments, some other errands, then got home to Fanfiction pitching a temper and being down... yeah, great for those of us on deadlines, guys...

Disclaimer: "Danny Phantom" and all associated characters and situations are created by Butch Hartman and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

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"Payoff"  
By; J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

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It was just another day in the Ghost Zone, except for one small part, one small realm just on the edge of the Far Frozen that most didn't even know existed, a realm that almost seemed at though it wasn't fully there. In that realm that seemed to only half exist, two figures met.

"You got what I need, buddy?" The larger asked the smaller, but easily more dangerous, all the while keeping his eyes open for betrayal or outsiders.

"You got what _I _need, buddy?" The smaller figure countered sharply.

The larger answered by pulling out a piece of paper and holding it up where the smaller could see it, "List of planned outtings for the next month, matched to your schedule."

Nodding at the sight of it, the smballer figure sat a box between them and opened it so the larger could look, "One hundred percent pure, straight from the source."

The larger figure reached into the box and pulled out a small sample, examining it, "Doubled, nice."

The smaller figure smirked, "I give the best, now for me?"

Handing over the sheet of paper, the larger figure ran his now-free hand over the contents of the box, "Oh, yes, I can do nice things with this... Pleasure doing business with you."

"Pleasure's mine," the smaller figure countered as the larger used their ghost powers to lift the box into the air and float it along with them as they left, "Now I'm the one who needs to get out of here. Thank God for shortcuts."

Slipping a little further into the realm, the smaller figure came upon a narrow gap between two rocks. Squeezing himself between the rocks and wiggling through the gap, a geographic impossibility happened as they exited the gap and found themselves at the Fenton Ghost Portal and a quick exit from the Ghost Zone.

When they emerged into the human world, Jazz Fenton was standing there before them in that pose known to all people who come home late from somewhere they weren't supposed to be only to find themselves met at the door by a responsible authority figure; arms folded across the chest, hip cocked to one side, head tilted downward and eyes narrowed above a scowl. Then she said it...

"Where were you, Danny?"

Danny Fenton, the halfa also known as Danny Phantom rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Uh, I had to deal with The Box Ghost?"


	2. Achy Breaky Breakdown

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 19 February.

The local radio station DJ's constant playing of the same song has finally gotten on Ember's last nerve. DxE.

Disclaimer: "Danny Phantom" and all associated characters and situations are created by Butch Hartman and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. "Achy Breaky Song" by Weird Al is owned by him and his recording label and is also used without permission or intent to profit.

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"Achy Breaky Breakdown"  
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

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Ember McLain, ghost rock star, was marching down the street with her guitar in her hand and destruction on her mind when a figure descended from the sky and stood in front of her to block her way.

"Out of the way, Baby-pop," Ember snarled in warning, "This has nothing to do with you."

"The second you started causing trouble in the human world, it had everything to do with me, Ember," Danny Phantom, resident unappreciated half-ghost hero of Amity Park, countered.

"Don't be a hero, Danny," Ember shook her head, refusing to back down, "You know as well as I do this isn't 'causing trouble'; this is justice. I'll do a lot for you, Baby-pop, ever since we've been together I've put up with being tortured by your mom's love for Donnie and Marie and your dad's taste for Barry Manilow..."

Involuntarily, both ghostly teens cringed at the thought.

"I've even kept from saying anything when Jazz started listening to New Kids on the Block after their comeback," Ember continued, "But I can't take any more of this; this has got to end, Baby-pop."

"Maybe so," Danny shook his head, "But this isn't the way, Ember."

"I begged, Baby-pop," Ember shot back, "I begged that friggin' DJ to play something else, it didn't even have to be one of my songs, I could have listened to Vanilla Ice or even Tiffany - but no, they won't stop. Every day, time and time again, hour after hour... I'm starting to hear that stupid song in my sleep, Baby-pop, do you know what that's like to a musician? To have someone else's song stuck in your head and it's not even a good song?"

"You think I like hearing it any better?" Danny snapped, "Every time I hear that nauseating song, it makes me want to lose my lunch, but you can't just decide it's 'time for that station to go off the air' just because of this, dipstick."

Ember narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend, "Did you just call me 'dipstick', dipstick?"

"Yeah! And you know why?" Danny asked, then answered his own question, "Because going off half-cocked like this because you're mad is the kind of stupidity _I'd_ pull!"

Rolling her eyes, Ember asked, "Then what do you think I'd do instead?"

Danny grinned, "You're going to love this."

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Side by side, Danny and Ember walked through the front door's of Amity Park's local radio station and looked around the lobby.

"We're looking for the broadcast studio," Ember announced

From behind his desk, the security guard raised an eyebrow, "Purpose of visit?"

"Voicing a complaint about the DJ's tastes in music," Danny answered, causing the guard to grin.

"Down the hall, third door on your right - you can't miss it," The guard informed them, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb."

"Thank you," Ember answered as she unslung her guitar from her back to have it ready.

As the ghostly duo walked down the hall, the guard picked up the phone and pressed one of the extension buttons, "Get everyone to the broadcast room. Look, don't ask questions, just do it..."

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When the door to the broadcast room opened despite the 'On The Air' sign being lit, it caused the DJ to look up from his work.

"I'm sorry, listeners, we seem to have some unexpected guests in the studio... Something I can do for you, Inviso-Bill?" The DJ asked, causing Danny to snarl, he really hated that name people had stuck him with.

"Actually, yeah," Danny answered, "My friend and I are here as representatives of GABR."

The DJ frowned, "Gabber?"

Ember smirked and leveled her guitar in a 'shoot-from-the-hip' position, "Ghosts Against Billy Ray... Pull!"

The station's disk for that 'Achy Breaky' song glowed blow with ecto-energy and flew into Danny's hand before he tossed it like a frisbee... or a clay pigeon. A quick chord on her guitar and Ember had blown it to pieces with a smile.

"Thanks for the help," Ember remarked casually, "We're trying to stop noise pollution."

Speaking loud enough for the microphone to pick up, Danny added, "Noise pollution is everyone's problem, we've all got ears... so next time, when people ask you to stop playing a song, try it."

"Oh," Ember added further, "And, have a _nice day_."

Chuckling to themselves, Danny opened the door so that Ember could leave the broadcast room and as he followed her, they found themselves surrounded by station employees. A little nervous, Danny glanced around before commenting...

"Uh... hi?"

The security guard who had directed them to the broadcast room was the first to start clapping, but soon the entire room was filled with the sound of applause.


	3. The Maltese Phantom

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. Whether or not that goal can be reached, we'll see... This is The 365 Project, 21 February.

Disclaimer: "Danny Phantom" and all associated characters and situations are created by Butch Hartman and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit.

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"The Maltese Phantom"  
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

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Private Investigator Dan Fenton stood there, half-in and half-out of the shadows, watching as the female uniform put the cuffs on the woman while Lieutenant Walker informed her of her rights.

"-will be appointed for you by the court at no cost. Do you understand these rights as I have just read them to you?"

The new 'bracelets' she wore didn't go well with her opera gloves or the halter-top dress, but that didn't matter to 'Ember' McLain as the singer snarled at Fenton, "You dipstick, how could you do this to me?"

Fenton stepped out of the shadows and fully into the light, "Sorry, sweetheart, but I'm just not as crooked as I'm supposed to be, I guess."

"You dipstick," Ember repeated harshly

"I asked if you understood your rights as I have read them to you," Walker repeated forcefully.

"Yeah, I understand," Ember told the cop before looking back to Fenton, "I thought there was something special between us, but I guess not. I guess I'm just another one of those women you meet in your line of work to you, detective."

"There is something there," Fenton answered as he crammed his hands into the pockets of his trenchcoat, "That's why I'll be waiting when you get out. Try not to get the chair, sweetheart."

With that, Fenton turned and started to walk away, ignoring the sounds from behind him as Walker and the female uniform began to lead Ember away.

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Sitting up on the living room couch while the light from the television illuminated the room, Danny blinked, trying to ignore the pain he was feeling in his head as he regained his orientation and the events of the last few hours recalled themselves in his mind, "Okay, new rule; no old detective movies on nights after fighting any of the girls... It gives me strange dreams..."


	4. Super Trouper

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 27 March.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: "Danny Phantom" and all associated characters and situations are created by Butch Hartman and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. The song "Super Trouper" was performed by ABBA. Yeah, if you can't tell by now, I've got eclectic tastes in music.

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"Super Trouper"  
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

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Atlantic City, New Jersey,  
United States of America  
March 27, 2014

The rock star shook her head and groaned as she finished dressing for her show that would start in a couple hours, after her road crew had finished the last sound-checks and special effects set-ups, "Facing twenty thousand of your fans, how can anyone be so lonely? It's part of a success that never ends, still I'm thinking about you only...There are moments when I think I'm going crazy, but it's gonna be alright. Everything will be so different when I'm on the stage tonight..."

"'Super trouper beams are gonna blind me... But I won't feel blue like I always do," she finished pulling on the single opera glove she wore and reached out and brushed her lover's picture with her gloved fingertips, "Because somewhere in the crowd there's you."

"I was sick and tired of everything when I called you last night from Glasgow," she said with a sigh, referring to her concert the night before in Pennsylvania, "You've made me hate being on tour; all I do is eat and sleep and sing, wishing every show was the last show."

She chuckled, "So imagine when I hear you're coming to the show tonight since it finally _is _the last show of the tour. Suddenly, I feel alright and everything will be so different when I'm on the stage tonight. Tonight the lights are gonna find me shining like the sun, smiling, having fun, feeling like I'm number one."

Even though it was just a picture and wasn't really him, talking to it was helping, so she continued, "Your tickets and backstage pass will be waiting, just like I'll be waiting backstage after the show. I'll be there when you arrive and the sight of you will prove to me I'm still alive... and when you take me in your arms and hold me tight, I know it's gonna mean so much tonight."

There was a knocking on the door before a voice called, "Ember, you've got final sound check in five; doors open in half an hour, so we need to do this quick."

Ember pulled her fingers away from her lover's picture with a snarl and shouted back, "Fine, I'm on my way!"

Looking at the picture one last time, Ember whispered, "See you tonight, Baby-pop."


	5. The Levee

Author's Note: The 365 Project is an experimental _multi-fandom_ project to write and post at least one short every day for the next year, not including my semi-regular bi-weekly updates. For more details, see the relevent section in my profile. This is The 365 Project, 12 April.

Disclaimer: "Danny Phantom" and all associated characters and situations are created by Butch Hartman and used for entertainment purposes without permission or intent to profit. Partially inspired by songs like Don McLean's 'The Day The Music Died'.

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"The Levee"  
By J.T. Magnus, 'Turbo'

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Outside the city limits of Amity Park, beyond the eyes of adults and parents - and snooping government agencies like the Guys In White - there was a place where the young and the ageless gathered on Friday nights. This place was a levee just outside of town that few people went to except for teenagers and young adults on weekend nights and the occasional person fishing in the early morning light. This particular Friday night, two vehicles were parked on the top of the levee; the smaller a motorcycle resting on its kickstand well away from the waterside, the other a blue pick-up truck parked at an angle so that part of its tailgate hung out over the water.

"Now it's your turn to walk the plank, Pirate-boy," a dark haired girl in her early teens informed a green-haired boy with a grin, forcing him at stick-point back to the edge of the tailgate where it hung over the water while a green-colored puppy played at her feet, chasing a skeletal parrot back and forth.

"I'm the captain," the boy insisted in frustration, "I'm the one who says who does and doesn't walk the plank!"

"Oh, really?" the girl smirked, "Cujo..."

The puppy looked up at the girl as she pointed at the boy and suddenly the puppy turned into a giant dog with a tail of green fire and gave a sharp bark that startled the boy, causing him to tumble backwards off the tailgate and into the water.

"Good boy, Cujo!" The girl reached up and patted the dog's neck seconds before it turned back into its puppy form.

"No fair!" The boy cried, spitting out the water that had gotten into his mouth, "You cheated!"

"How could I cheat?" the girl countered, hands on her hips as she stood on the tailgate, "There's no rules, remember?"

As if to punctuate her statement, the girl cannonballed off the tailgate and into the water, the wave it caused washing over the boy and leaving him spitting out water again. Seeing the girl do it, the puppy ran back to the cab of the truck and then took off running at full speed down the truck-bed and lept off the tailgate...

"Cujo, no!" The girl shouted, but it was too late...

In mid-air, puppy became giant dog again and hit the water with enough force that it knocked both kids into the bank and caused water to wash up onto the ground. Cujo bobbed back to the surface in his puppy form and dog-paddled over to where the girl was to give her a big wet puppy-dog lick of a kiss.

"Ew, Cujo, don't do that," she grimaced as she splashed some water on her face to wipe the slobber off, "Lick Youngblood instead!"

When Cujo turned his head towards the boy, Youngblood began to backstroke further out into the water, "No, no, no, no, no licking! No licking!"

Since Youngblood was 'friend', but not 'master' or 'girl-master', Cujo ignored the order and instead started dogpaddling after the boy. Watching from the shore, an older teen shook his head before turning his attention back to more important things; like the hot dogs he was grilling over the campfire the group had going. Despite knowing he was there and everything, Tucker Foley couldn't actually see Youngblood, just a faint haze where the ghost boy was supposed to be, which was still better than when he couldn't see the 'Master of Make-Believe' at all. Looking around, Tucker only noticed half of the other 'young adults' were actually visible and smirked to himself at just what he was seeing; after all, it wasn't every night one saw rock diva Ember McLain sitting and strumming on her guitar with a supposed enemy's head laying in her lap as she did so.

"Hey, Danny," Tucker remarked casually, "I don't suppose either of you lovebirds have seen Kitty and Johnny recently, have you?"

Both Danny Fenton and Ember answered quickly and in unplanned unison, "We're not lovebirds!"

Tucker chuckled, "Danny, man, that didn't work with you and Sam, it's sure not gonna work when you've got your head in Ember's lap."

Trying to divert attention from that fact, Ember carefully sat aside her guitar and asked rather sharply, "Where is the goth, anyway?"

"Did you know it's easier that you'd think to get an auditorium at the local college for a debate on Ultra-Recyclo-Vegetarianism versus a meat-heavy diet?" Danny grinned up at the rock star ghost.

Ember honestly couldn't believe what she was hearing, "You didn't, dipstick..."

"Yep, Sam versus the Lunch Lady in front of a live audience," Danny chuckled, "Box Ghost is even taping it for me."

"And people say _I'm_ evil," Ember muttered.

"You're not evil," Danny smirked up at her, "Just... wild."

"Yeah, well, don't go getting any thoughts about trying to 'tame' me or anything, dipstick," Ember retorted.

Danny closed his eyes and remarked with a smile, "Fire melts ice to water and in doing so quenches itself."

Glaring down at him, Ember demanded, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Danny raised his voice, "It means that a certain pair of bikers need to remember that there's underage kids here."

"Oh, yeah," Johnny 13's voice drifted up from further down the levee, embarassment clear in his tone, "That."

"Sorry!" Kitty added with equal abashment.

"Just don't get the cops called out here again, okay?" Danny called back to them.

Since Danny still had his eyes closed, he never saw Ember gesture for Youngblood and Dani to get out of the water and come over to where they were, nor did he see the two younger teens take positions one at either leg, but he felt it when they grabbed his ankles and Ember reached under his arms and the three of them picked him up.

"Uh, guys? Guys, what are you doing? Okay, you three, this isn't funny!" Danny started to ramble as they started to get closer to the water.

"And a-heave," Youngblood called out as they started to swing Danny, "And a-ho! And a-heave, and a-ho, and away we go!"

And then Danny found himself sailing through the air towards the water and landing with a splash that soaked the three on shore and caused Tucker to frown.

"Hey, guys?" Tucker called out to them, "You mind watching it so you don't end up putting out the fire splashing around like that?"

"Sorry," four voices echoed, joined by the barks of one ghost dog.

"Yeah," Tucker muttered, "Don't be sorry, just don't do it, okay?"

Danny looked towards shore and his clone/sister/cousin and the two 'Phantoms' exchanged a look that said that after they had eaten, Tucker was going to be the one getting thrown in the river. Dogpaddling circles around Danny, Cujo wasn't sure what 'master' and 'girl-master' were so happy about, but he was sure that he liked being with them, 'friend meat-eater', 'friend with shadow', 'possessing friend', 'friend with pet bones' and 'master's almost-mate' like he was now. He just wished 'master' and 'master's almost-mate' would stop chasing their tails and be mates, he liked 'almost-mate' better than he did 'bossy female'. 'Almost-mate' reminded him of 'girl-master'. 'Bossy female' was still better than 'mean one' though. Cujo didn't like 'mean one' at all. But Cujo liked 'master'.

"Ew, Cujo," Danny grimaced when the puppy-form ghost dog suddenly paddled up to his face and started licking him, causing the others to start laughing.

"That's what I said," Dani remarked with a grin.


End file.
